Introduction/ Overview of the institution, group or team
Risk management planning entails the foreseeing of risks, as well as estimation of impacts, and definition of responses to issues that affect a project. Planning in this case may entail the consideration of a number of important aspects of an organization. The Winston Salem State University Athletics Department, for instance, entails sporting activities that supplement the lives of a number of students who join the institution. Important aspects include personnel, facilities, and activities. The report presented hereby is an analysis of the Risk Management Plan for Winston Salem State University Athletics Department. Considering that the particular department is a part of the Winston Salem State University, and consequently Winston Salem State, the report considers how well the department complies with existing policies and procedures. Inspection areas considered are general description of the organization, personnel involved, activities conducted, facilities and equipment, supervisory practices as well as crisis management plans, and insurance coverage.
Inspection areas
Organization description
The Winston Salem State University Athletics department serves student athletes. Prospective student athlete information is required for recruitment, which includes healthcare packets for incoming student athletes. Among other things, the student athletes receive the best of medical care from the Winston Salem State University Sports Medicine Staff including consultants, and athletics trainers. The health services offered in this case are guided by the philosophy to assist the prevention of injuries, as well as facilitate post injury full body rehabilitation, enabling the return to athletics. Further essential to note is that in the determination of students to serve, the department adheres to NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) rules by avoiding contact with students until after the 1st of September, while in their junior high in high school.
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Other than sports medicine, other services include academic athletic services and student athlete advisory services. The academic athletic services for instance includes the assigning of academic success counselors to student athletes, and orientation addressing unique demands such as the balancing of academics with athletics success. Sports include baseball, basketball, cross-country, and football for men, and basketball, cheerleading, cross-country, softball, and tennis for women. Events are continually organized to keep the student athletes engaged.
The organization is structured to include an administration of the director of athletics-Tonia Walker, head of softball-LaTaya Hilliard-Gray, as well as an associate acting director for compliance-George Knox. There is also an associate acting director for business finance, assistant acting director for media relations, marketing coordinator, and equipment manager, among others. Among other sources of finance, the organization also receives donations through its website to include sponsorship opportunities, and the WSSU (Winston Salem State University) assisting youth campaign.
Personnel involved
The hiring procedures and job descriptions for the athletics department are in line with the commitment of Winston Salem State University. According to the Merit based Recruitment and Selection Plan updated in April, 2000, the aim is to fill vacant positions with only the most qualified individuals("NC OSHR: Winston-Salem State University," 2000). Equal opportunity is given to applicants irrespective of individual differences, promoting fairness, diversity, and integrity, as well as complying with state laws, regulations, and policies. Other than the commitment from management and ethics statement, the plan also covers a commitment to training.
Hiring procedures are structured to ensure employees are duly qualified for the jobs they are intended to do. Job descriptions are exposed to job analyses when necessary, which then guides the hiring manager in the drafting of vacancy announcements. The recruitment panel additionally, represents the diversity of the institution thus avoiding biasness. There is also keen representation of qualified personnel in the recruitment area to ensure qualification, other than lack of discrimination is considered. The non discrimination policy is thus adhered to right from recruitment, as is the adherence to specific state and federal employment laws. Learning and development programs are also provided to university staff, as are employee assistance programs. Assistance programs for instance, help employees manage work and personal life issues such as job pressures, stress, and loss. To further emphasize equal employment opportunities, there is the office of Equal Employment Opportunities/ Affirmative Action and Diversity that also handles discrimination and harassment cases including investigation, prevention, training, and resolution (Winston Salem State University, 2016). Should an employee in the department of Athletics at Winston Salem State University have an issue at work affecting performance, due processes can therefore be followed. The organization further ensures compliance with Immigration and Naturalization by completing authorization forms for their employees. In this regard, it is further interesting to note that, as part of employee recruitment procedures, vacancies may sometimes accompany the requirement that applicants attach evidence to show they are duly qualified to work in the state.
Activities conducted
The Winston Salem State University additionally offers warnings and pre participation guidelines to potential student athletes. There are a varied number of forms that need to be filled to this regard including health forms such as annual medical history, initial medical history, healthcare packets for returning student athletes, healthcare packets for entering student athletes, tryout application forms, among others. Others include warnings regarding contact as outlined by NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association). The department of athletics clearly outlines in its prospective student athlete information handbook which students are eligible to contact them directly, and at which particular time period. Students athletes enrolled at four year courses in other institutions, for instance, are specifically warned against contact.
Other than the above, it is further essential to note that the department has established rules to aid in the avoiding of mismatches in association. Standards for conduct are specifically set to include the exhibition of respect and courtesy towards all the participants, as well as physical and verbal restraint in action towards other participants. Participants are also urged to refrain from the making of public comments that may be considered critical of the officials, and the quality of their work. Additional specific rules include the prohibition against gambling. There is also policy on alcohol and substance use. The institution supports the State of North Carolina in the creation of a healthy environment. The department of athletics, consequently, deters illegal use of substances by occasionally screening the athletes, and addressing positive results consistent with existing policies and procedures in the department (Winston Salem State University, 2007). Education is also promoted, and those with alcohol problems advised to seek further help. Furthermore, the Winston Salem University based on North Carolina Beverage Control laws effective 1996, made it illegal to purchase, consume or possess alcoholic beverages within the institution. In line with this, the department of athletics established rules including alcohol be neither purchased nor consumed during travel, not be served during team functions, and not be purchased by coaches or administrators for consumption by the student athletes.
It is also essential based on activities conducted to consider the transportation policy. Travel expenses for insistence are covered by the department when on assignment consistent with the mission of the department. Consistent assignment missions include team travels, student athlete recruitments, among others. The catered for as well as reimbursed expenses however are only those considered necessary and ordinary. The purpose of this is indicated to include encouraging efficient and economic travelling as well as standardization of the reporting and documentation of the expenses(Winston Salem State University, 2007). The travels, consistent with University rules, require prior approval, thus pre authorization travel form. Other forms include change of travel forms and team travel forms. University rules stipulate that modes of transport be based on safety, availability, expense, distance as well as minimization of missed classes and study time. Consequently, head coaches and team sport supervisors plan and approve team travels, while ensuring accountability to each of these requirements.
Apart from the transportation policy, it is also important to consider the hazing policy. The Winston Salem State University prohibits all forms of hazing towards its students on or off campus(Winston Salem State University, 2012). The prohibition is in line with the North Carolina Law. Due procedures to report and consequently punish this kind of misbehavior is outlined in the University’s hazing document amended in December, 2012 (Winston Salem State University, 2012). Consequently, the department of athletics, other than encouraging student athletes to follow university rules and regulations, also prohibits hazing affiliated behavior (Winston Salem State University, 2007). Physical abuse and use of obscene language are indicated as poor sportsmanship exhibitions, and thus discouraged.
Facility and equipment condition
It is clearly indicated in the staff handbook that no facility equipment shall be moved or loaned without due procedures. The facilities include Gines Centre Whitaker gymnasium for volleyball, Twin City, Washington Park and South Park for softball, BB & T Stadium for baseball, among others. Priorities for use are however based on the season. Requests for use are additionally directed to the Assistant Director of athletics for facilities and operations as are changes in schedules and reports for needed repairs. Rules for safety operations in the facilities are also provided. For instance, in the weight room, it is clearly indicated that the weight room be used by WSSU (Winston Salem State University) athletes and staff only. Additionally, working out is only allowed during scheduled times and only approved apparel allowed for use. Hats for instance, are not allowed. Cell phones and foods as well as drinks are also not permitted during workout sessions, and appropriate techniques in spotting and lifting are advised for use always.
General supervisory practices
The Winston State University department of athletics has outlined the responsibilities of staff at each particular level. Additionally, each semester is accompanied with a schedule based on the particular season of which teams are to be engaged at which time. Head coaches for instance are in charge of determining team lists for team travel while applications for travel have to be approved by the sports supervisor. The need to have authority at each particular level is emphasized as to ensure department programs run smoothly.
Crisis management and emergency action plans
As noted above, student athletes are required to fill in health affiliated forms prior to acceptance. Other than this, the sports medicine staff ensures the student athletes have access to the best medical care services they can get. As part of the sports medicine staff are students pursuing medicine related courses in the university, enabling training from the more qualified individuals on the basics of health service provision for the student athletes. At all times therefore, the student athletes can receive emergency aid including CPR and first aid. Emergency communication contacts are provided at any time in case there is need for use, and guidance in case of fire incidences are also available.
Insurance coverage
The Winston Salem State University has an insurance policy for its student athletes, thus the need to fill health related forms before recruitment. According to the Sports medicine Department Healthcare Packet, however, the university’s insurance policy is secondary and as such, cannot cover illnesses unrelated to practice and competition (Winston Salem State University, 2014). Furthermore, based on NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) rules, the department excludes itself from paying for normal dental care. Due to this, student athletes are advised to always have primary insurance. A copy of the health insurance card is therefore mandatory for recruitment. Additionally, student athletes are not exempted from the student health insurance policy that is maintained separately. The argument provided for this is that at no one time should a student athlete be caught in position to lack adequate coverage thus intense financial repercussions (Winston Salem State University, 2014).
The analysis of the risk management plan for Winston Salem State University based on the items above reveals an adherence to University policies as well as state requirements and procedures. For instance, the hazing policy is enforced by the university as required by the state of North Carolina. The department of athletics on the other hand, ensures that this is the case through implementing rules that discourage physical and verbal violence. Additionally, abuse of alcohol is prohibited by the state and the university. The department on the other hand ensures the student athletes adhere to this through regular screening. It is however also essential to note that while some safety rules are implemented by the department, they have not been fully enforced by the university, and the health record forms that are filled are specific to the athletics department. It would however be essential that emphasis be placed on this not just by the department but also by the university. In the end, it is noteworthy that the Winston Salem State University has gone a long way in the determination of possible risks measure to minimize them.
References
NC OSHR: Winston-Salem State University. (2000). Retrieved from https://oshr.nc.gov/recruitment-selection/winston-salem-state-university
Winston Salem State University. (2007). Winston Salem Stae University Athletics Handbook. Retrieved from http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wssu/genrel/auto_pdf/2007-08WSSUSAHandbook.pdf
Winston Salem State University. (2012). Hazing Policy. Retrieved from https://www.wssu.edu/administration/legal-affairs/policies-procedures/chapter-300-undergrad-graduate/301-general/hazing-policy.pdf
Winston Salem State University. (2014). Healthcare Packet for Entering Student Athletes. Retrieved from http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wssu/genrel/auto_pdf/IncomingAthleteInfoPacket.pdf
Winston Salem State University. (2016). Administration - EEO/AA - The Office of EEO/AA & Diversity. Retrieved from https://www.wssu.edu/administration/eeo-aa/default.aspx
